sill

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

sill, n. [OE. sille, sylle, AS. syl, syll; akin to G. schwelle, OHG. swelli, Icel. syll, svill, Sw. syll, Dan. syld, Goth. gasuljan to lay a foundation, to found.].

 The basis or foundation of a thing; especially, a horizontal piece, as a timber, which forms the lower member of a frame, or supports a structure; as, the sills of a house, of a bridge, of a loom, and the like.  [1913 Webster]

Sill course (Arch.), a horizontal course of stone, terra cotta, or the like, built into a wall at the level of one or more window sills, these sills often forming part of it.

sill, n. [Cf. Thill.].

 The shaft or thill of a carriage.  [1913 Webster]

sill, n. [Cf. 4th Sile.].

 A young herring.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

sill, n. (also cill)
1 a shelf or slab of stone, wood, or metal at the foot of a window or doorway.
2 a horizontal timber at the bottom of a dock or lock entrance, against which the gates close.
3 Geol. a tabular sheet of igneous rock intruded between other rocks and parallel with their planar structure.

Etymology

OE syll, sylle

THESAURUS

sill

base, basement, basis, bearing wall, bed, bedding, bedrock, doorsill, doorstone, floor, flooring, fond, footing, foundation, fundament, fundamental, ground, grounds, groundsel, groundwork, hardpan, mudsill, pavement, principle, radical, riprap, rock bottom, rudiment, seat, solid ground, solid rock, stereobate, stylobate, substratum, substruction, substructure, terra firma, threshold, underbuilding, undercarriage, undergirding, underpinning, understruction, understructure, window sill

ROGET THESAURUS

sill

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.